Humidifier for internal-combustion engines



Dec. 3, 1946. J. F. TALBOTT- HUMIDIFIER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINESFiled Aug. 21, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 i M5572, Muff 1N VEN TOR.

waymra ATTD R N EYE Dec. 3, 1946. J. F. TALBOTT HUMIDIFIER FORINTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Aug. 21; 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2IIIIIIIIIIl/IlI/llI/llf INVEN TOR.

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ATT'D RN EYS Dec. 3, 1946. J. F. TALBOTT HUMIDIFIER FORINTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Aug. 21, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IJawkafZ/Z/Z IN VEN TOR.

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HUMIDIFIER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Aug. 21, 1942 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Jdif/ds F 93/502! IN V EN TOR.

' awzyamrea ATTDRN EYS Patented Dec. 3, 1946 HUli IIDIFIER FORINTERNAL-COMBUSTION I James F. Talbott, Baltimore, Md. ApplicationAugust 21, 1942, Serial No. 455,679

4 Claims. (01. 261-99) 1 My invention relates to internal combustionengines, and has among its objects and advantages the provision of animproved fuel system wherein water vapors are blended with the fuel toincrease engine operatingefiiciency, eliminate carbon and to efiecteconomy in fuel consumption.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a diagrammatic top plan Viewof the system as applied to an internal combustion engine of the typeemployed in automotive vehioles.

Figure 2 is a side view. Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view alongthe line 3-1-3 of Figure, 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional View along the line 55 of Figure 3. v s

Figure 6 is a sectional view along the line 6-6 of Figure 3. 1

Figure '7 is a cross sectional View of the exhaust pipe of the vehicleillustrating a gas trap mounted thereon. v Figure 8 is a sectional viewalong the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a sectionalview along the line 9-'-9 of Figure 8. V p

Figure 10 is a sectional .view of a water feeding jet.

Figure 11 is a partial sectional view of the greater part of the systemillustrating the parts thereof separated one from the other, and

Figure 12 is a sectional view of a modified system.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, I make useof a water tank it! which is preferably mountedon the usual air inletpipe l2 of a conventional carburetor i l, see Figures 1 and 2. Thiscarburetor has communication with the intake manifold it of the engineiii in the conventional manner.

The tank IE! is attached to a vaporizer 20, see Figure 3. This vaporizerincludes a pan 22 closed at its upper end by a sheet 24 of copper wiremesh and a resilient gasket 26 interposed between the mesh and thebottom 28 of the tank It. The purpose of the gasket 2! is to seal thetank 22 and insulate it from the water in the upper tank, so that theheat of these gases flowing in the spiral passage is no; dissipated.Figure 6 illustrates the contour of the pan 22 when viewed from the top.This pan is provided with acentral and open ended tube 39 coaxiallyarranged inside a tube 32, see Figure 3, fixedly secured to ,ings M.

the bottom 28 and extending through an opening in the top wall of thetank H1. The tube 30 is of smaller diameter than the tube 32 to providean annular space 3 5 for the accommodation of four vertical bolts 3t forclamping the tank- It and the vaporizer 293 into a unitary structure.

The bolts-36; are welded to the tube 32 and, ex-

tend through openings 38,.see Figure 12', in a plate 4%! lying on theupperend of the tube 32. Wing nuts 42 are threaded-on the bolts 36 forfixedly relating the tank and the vaporizer. Openings 44 are provided inthe tube 32 above the top wall of the tank wand underneath the plate 4%.A screen. 53". is arranged across the open- I In Figure 6, a verticaland'spirally contoured wall 68 is arranged inside the pan 22. This'wallis welded edgewise to the bottom of the pan; and the convolutions of theWall are spaced surficiently far apart to provideaccommodation for aspirally contoured copper tube 52 having upwardly directed openings 54for the delivery of water from the tank I!) to the vaporizer 20.Transverse arms 5& connect with the convolutions 50 to constitute asupportfor the tube 52.

The ends of the tube 52 are closed by copper ,mesh walls 58,, one wall58; being attached tothe tube 3% and the innermost convolution 56 andthe second wall'attached to the two outermost convolutions. A tube see-FigurelO; has communication withthe tube 52 and serves as a socket for.the reception of a depending tube 62 attachedyto the tank bottornZB- andcommunicating with the tank. Inside the tube 62 is threadedly mounted ajetplug 64- havinga small bore 66 for the passage of water from the tankH) into the vaporizer 253. A screw driver slot 68 is provided inthelower end of the plug 64 to facilitate placement and removal thereof.Jet plugs of different sizes may be substituted to satisfy therequirements of different engines and operating conditions.

Attached to the tank bottom 28 coaxially of the tube 52 is a largerdiameter tube 10 having openings it near its bottom end for the passagevof water. The tube 1i) extends through an openingl l in the topof thetank H3, see Figure 3.

Inside the tube It is movably'mounted a valve 16 for controlling theflow of water from the tank 10, and into the tube 52. This valveincludes a rubber disk '18 secured to a metallic disk 80, both of whichare slida-ble freely inside the tube 18, with the rubber disk 18engageable with the bottom wall 28 in the closed position of the valve-.

Astem. 82 is attached to the disk and is slidand fixedly securedthereto.

able freely in a small bore 64 in a cork body 86 inserted inthe upperend of the tube I0. A small tension compression spring 88 is interposedbetween the disk 80 and the cork body 86.

A lever 90 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a post 92attached to the top of the tank I0. One end of the lever 90 is pivotallyconnected with the upper end of the stem 82 and the other end of thelever is pivotally connected with a stem 94 attached to a suctionresponsivepiston 96.

The piston 96 is slidably mounted in a bore 08 of a cup I extendingthrough an opening I02 in the top of the tank I0 and fixedly securedthereto. The piston 96 includes a leather washer I04 mounted betweenmetallic disks I06 fixed to the stem 94. The washer I04 is of slightlylarger diameter than the bore 98 so as to form a sealing flange aboutthe perimeter of the washer.

Communicating with the bore 98 and under neath the piston 96 is asuction tube I08, this tube extending through the bottom 28 but weldedthereto to provide a watertight joint. The lower end of the tube I08 isconnected with a pipe IIO, see Figures 1 and 2, having communicationwith the intake manifold I6. Operation of. the engine creates a lowpressure condition effective in the chamber 98 for pulling the piston 96downwardly and lifting the valve I6 ofi its seat.

The valve 16 is lifted a short distance only.

The tension of the spring 88 is merely sufiicient to overcome resistanceof the movable parts of the valve structure and to insure closing of thevalve I6 when the engine is stopped.

The cup 22 is filled with non-rusting steel wool and-sponge II2, thetube 52 being buried in this filler.

Figure 6 illustrates the cup 22 as being provided with a corner chamberII4 having communication with the space between the outermostconvolution 50 and the side wall of the cup. This chamber is providedwith a depending tube I I6 for connection with a hose II8 leading to agas trap I20 mounted on the exhaust pipe I22 slightly rearwardly of theusual muffler with which such pipes are provided, see Figures 7, 8 and9. The hose II8 connects with a tube I24 extending into a housing I26having communication with the exhaust pipe I 22' through the medium of aplurality of ports I28. The housing I26 is welded to the exhaust pipeand is additionally made secure by clamps I30 extending about theexhaust pipe.

Inside the housing I is arranged a triangularly shaped housing I32having a suitable wire mesh wall I 34'arranged horizontally above theexhaust pipe I22. The tube I24 extends through the housing I32 and isslotted at I36 for the entrance of gas to be passed to the vaporizer 20.A wire screen I38 extends about the tube I24 inside the housing I32, thelatter having end engagement with the end walls of the housing I26 Thetwo walls of the housing I32 other than the mesh wall I34 divergedownwardly and are ,imperforate. Thus the slotted tube I 24 is protectedto prevent the entrance of carbon and other solids which mightaccumulate in and pass through the exhaust pipe. Gases entering thehousing I32 must pass through the mesh I34, the latter serving as ascreen to prevent the entrance of objectionable solids.

vA portion of the exhaust gases are delivered to the vaporizer 20 forconverting moisture thereininto the form of vapor passing into the tubethrough an opening I40 in a neck I42 extending inwardly of the tube 30.Fixed to the neck I42 is a body I44 having a bore I46 communicating withthe opening I40 and passing through the lower end of the body. The neckI42 is welded to the tube 30.

In operation, exhaust gases back through the hose H8 and enter thevaporizer 20. These gases are sucked through the filtering body I I2 tosupply air for mixture with the fuel from the carburetor I4. The-exhaustgases entering the vaporizer 20 are humidified, and the carbon monoxideis absorbed in its passage through the spiral passageway to the engine.

The tube 52' is wound to provide at least four convolutions inside thecup 22. This coiled tube supplies the water to the filter body II2 sothat the latter is maintained in a moist condition and dustless. The jetplug 64 is selected to supply the necessary now of water, which may flowin a dripping condition. The flow should be such as to prevent theaccumulation of free flowing water in the cup 22.

It will thus be seen that the system operates to eifectively maintain amoisture condition which coacts with the carburetor in such manner as toprovide an ei'licient fuel mixture for the engine. This system rendersthe engine more efficient in its operation, eliminates objectionablecarbon formation and effects economy in fuel consumption.

In case of engine backfire, Figure 3 illustrates the body. I54 as beingprovided with a bore I48 within which is slidably mounted a rod I50having a plate valve I52 attached thereto and normally lying at rest onthe upper end of the tube 30. This plate valve is yieldingly biased toits normal position by means of a compression spring I53 interposedbetween the bottom face of the bore M6 and a plate I54 attached to therod I50. Thus backfiring pressure causes theplate valve I52 to lift oiTthe tube 30 and pass the gases into the tube 32 for delivery to theatmosphere through the openings I2. The plate I54 constitutes a stopengageabl with the body I44 to limit the upward movement of the platevalve I52, and to close the bore I46 to prevent dirt, gas and the likefrom being blown into the filter.

I Splash eliminatin partitions I56 are provided in the tank I8.

The bottom of the cup 22 is provided with a spirally shaped depressionI58 located so that its convolutions underlie the convolutions of'thetube 52. This depression communicates with the tube IIB to which theexhaust hose is connected.v

Figure 12 illustrates a modification in that the vaporizer I60 and thewater tank I62 are separate. The vaporizer I60 may be mounted inthe samemanner as the vaporizer 20-but the detached association of the vaporizerand the water tank permits the latter to be mounted in any-desired placeon the vehicle.

The cup I64 of the vaporizer I60 is provided with-a cover plate I66havin a conically shaped hood I68 welded thereto and to the tube I'I0corresponding to the tube 32. A flexible tube I12 has one end connectedwith a tube I14 corresponding to the tube 50 of Figure 10, and the otherend of the tube is connected with a valve I16 havin communication Withthe tank I62. Both water and air valves I18 and I are similar to thevalves I6 and 96, respectively. The lever mechanism I82 is enclosed in acap I84 clamped against a resilient seal I86 on the top of the tank I62.Posts I88 are welded to the top of the tank and threadedly receivescrews I90 for attaching the cap to the posts.

In other respects, the structure of Figure 12 operates identically withthat of Figures 1 through 11.

Both cups 22 and I62 are provided with reinforcing plates I92 at theirbottoms, which plates are Welded to the tube 3i] and the tube I94,respectively.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain myinvention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe sam for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. A vaporizer comprising a casing having an inlet for air and an outletfor humidified gas and a spiral passage extending from the inlet to theoutlet a sheet of copper wire mesh over the top of said casing, aresilient gasket on said mesh to insulate and close said casing, anabsorbent packing in said passage, and a spiral Water supply tubelocated in said passage embedded within said packing and provided withspray openings, the tube bein provided with a water inlet opening.

2. A vaporizer comprising a casing having an inlet for air and an outletfor humidified gas and a spiral passage extending from the inlet to theoutlet a sheet of copper wir mesh over the top of said casing, aresilient gasket on said mesh to insulate and close said casing, anabsorbent packing in said passage, a spiral water supply tube located insaid passage within said packing provided with spray openings, the tubebeing provided with a water inlet opening, and a spiral depression inthe bottom of said casing underlying and conforming with theconvolutions of said spiral water supply tube, said depressionconstituting a passage from said inlet to said outlet.

3. The invention described in claim 2 wherein the outlet of said casingis provided with a pressure controlled valve.

4. lhe invention described in claim 2 wherein said casin is providedwith supports for said spiral water supply tube.

JAMES F. TALBOTT.

